While you’re making preparations, it’s worth considering the safety of your pets when entertaining. A busy house with new people, sights and sounds, as well as tempting human foods and drinks, presents a range of hazards for furry guests.
Party time
Got some plans to party at your place?
While you’re making preparations, it’s worth considering the safety of your pets when entertaining. A busy house with new people, sights and sounds, as well as tempting human foods and drinks, presents a range of hazards for furry guests.
Make sure everyone enjoys the festivities with our top party tips for pet safety when entertaining.
Party animal?
Consider each of your pets – how have they reacted to gatherings in the past? Have they shown any signs of fear, anxiety or aggression? Even if they’ve previously been the life of the party, it makes sense to provide them with a retreat space in case they start to feel overwhelmed.
If you think your pet won’t cope well with a party, consider boarding them with a responsible family member or friend, or a professional boarding facility.
Create a pet retreat
Ensure that each pet has their own cosy and secure retreat space, so they can feel safe. Prepare the space ahead of time, perhaps in a bedroom or laundry, using their crate and some comfortable bedding. Provide food and water as well as some interactive toys to help keep them busy. You might like to provide some background noise such as from a radio to drown out any noises coming from the party.
Pre-party exercise
Plan to exercise your pets before the first guest arrives. This will help them be relaxed and more likely to have a snooze once the party gets going.
Keep decorations out of reach
Kittens and puppies, as well as pets with a curious nature can end up in all sorts of tangles with party decorations. Plastic and glass items can be chewed and broken causing injury. Fairy lights also pose a choking or electrocution risk, while candles can be knocked over causing burns, or be toxic if eaten. Keep this in mind when decorating your party space and keep things out of your pet’s reach.
Talk to your guests
As each guest arrives, let them know there are pets in the house. Your guests can let you know if they have any allergies or are afraid of animals, and you can talk about pet safety.
Security
With guests coming and going, ensure the safety of your pets with adequate security. Limit the doors your guests can use to help prevent any pets making an escape. Put signs on doors and gates to remind guests to ensure they are properly closed. Even if your pet doesn’t normally try to get loose, remember that pets can behave differently if they become stressed by the party.
Tasty temptations
Some human foods are toxic to dogs and cats. Common party foods to keep away from pets include chocolate, caffeinated beverages, onion, cooked bones, avocado, nuts, grapes, sultanas, raisins, gravy, alcohol as well as any diet foods and drinks (containing artificial sweeteners).
Remind all of your guests (including children) not to feed your pets anything, and don’t give your pets any left-overs. Regularly walk around the party to gather and clear up any left-over food and drink. Also make sure that your pets can’t gain access to any garbage bins.
Sudden dietary changes can cause digestive upset and the feeding of fatty scraps can contribute to the onset of serious conditions such as pancreatitis. Keep an eye on your pets for any changes to their behaviour or appearance, and if you think they’ve eaten something they shouldn’t have it’s best to get them to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.
Some planning and preparation will help keep your pets safe when entertaining. That way everyone can relax and have a good time!